Inlaid work



Patented Mar. 26,' 1929.

UNITED; sTATEs PATENT'OFFICE.

FREDERICK H. AUD AND OTTO S. MARCKWORTH, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

INLAID wom;

Applicationliled March 2, 1928. Serial No. 25s,534.

perforate sheets of celluloid, partially or superficilly dissolved in some suitable soluton, as alcohols for instance; m such 'cases the celluloid has performed the function of causi'g the veneer of wood' to adhere permanently to the metal base, as well as the further function o a lamna m the composite structure. 'This practice has resulted in' a very valuable and attractive inlai'd WOI'kj which' has been marketed' largely and for many uses. I w p w But in the case of designs whose tracery s such that' there are very small depressed areas 'or spaces between the closely positioned lines of traeery of the design, it has been found that it was difficult, if possible at all, to force the veneer down into intimat'e and permanent contact with the surfaces of these small recesses or areas, due to imprsened air and to the heat, employed in connection with the presses used to force the wood intothe recesses, acting on the solvents used to partially dissolve the celluloid in a mannerto drive the solvents or small quantities thereof out of the celluloid in the form j of vapors and/or gases which would gather between the celluloid and the surfaces ot' the small' recesses and act asja cushionwhich eperated e to prevent the intimate 4 or complete contact of the celluloid with the surfaees of the fine' depressions.

' lOur problem has been to find' some eicient and 'practieal means by which this difliculty would be eliminated and pursuant to the so lfVe 'have been) dissolved state of the latter, down into the small recesses fully and completely without resstance from the air, exuded quantities of the solvent or the gaseous like product' of the solvents, which exudations, whether liqud or gaseous, find their escape through the Imrforations in the celluloid and thence are 'eli''ninated'through the pores of the Wood.

We, there'ore, wish to be understood as making a broad claim to a perforated celluloid sheet, partially dissolved so as to give a surface having adhesive qualities as well as to form a lamina in the conposite product, which we believe we are the first to discoverand apply. i 'In the acconpanying drawings: 'Figure 1 represents a sheet of celluloid with its'many perforations.

Figure Zis a like sheet of imperforate eelluloid.

Figure 3 represcnts a veneer of wood to be used with the perforated sheet. y

Figure 4: is a like sheet of veneer heretofore used with an imperforate sheet of celluloid.

Figure 5 celluloid. e F igure 6 is a similar view'of a sheet of imperforate eelluloid.

Figure 7 is a sectional View of a metal plate showing designs thereon in elevation or reliei and depressions between the traeery thus formed, and which design is magnified in Figure 7 in order tomake plain that which in practice is exceedingly small as indicated in Figure 11. 7

Figur-e 8 is a like view' to Figure 7 heretotorc used with the imperforate sheet.

Figure 9 isfa sectional View through the is a' sectional view of a sheet of metal base and its design, the celluloid sheet and the veneer showing the intimate fitting of the celluloid and, therefore, of the Wood down in the recesses of the metal.

Figure 10 isa like view in which the imperforate sheet of celluloid is used and in which are shown the spaces left between the recesses and the eelluloid and, therefore, the Wood due te the solvents or gases referred to. Figure 11 is a face View of the completed product made in accordance with the present invention in which the perforated partially jdissclved celluloidsheet is employed as shown in'Figure 9, and 'from which Figure ll the character ofthe tracery and resulting small depressed spaces are shown.

Referrng to the drawings it will be noted that Figures l, 3, 5, 7 and 9 on the left side show the new material and the nanner of its use, while Figures 2, et, 6, 8 and 10 show the old material and the nanner ot' its use heretotore with the resulting uifilled spaces between the celluloid and wood and the depresi sons or recesses.

Vi e have nade these drawings in this tash ien i'or purposes of making` plain the dif- 'terencebetween the old and the new -old inconiparison with the advent :of the new perferated sheet and 'its nanner of use.

The nunieral l indicates a sheet of cellu loithsueh as eonnnereially known, which we have pertorated with many hundreds of fine holes through which inay pass any solvent or any gases arisng` from heat as applied to the sehent, so that such exudations may escape 'froni between the celluloid sheet and the sui-faces of the depressions in the design, as before nentioned.

This sheet in practice, besides being pert'orated, is subjeeted to a dipping in,or other applicationthereto of, any appropriate soi- Vent. such as alcohols or essential oils or canphor for the purpose of partially dis solving the celluloid, to the extent of a thin ihn. This leaves what might be terned the' core of the sheet intact to `'orin a lamina in the product and at the same time provides a surface in the nature of an adhesive which :torns a stroiu` and permanent hinder between the 'wood and the metal, and which, because of the undissolved core ot' the celluloid sheet, being fiexible and bendable, will pernit even a bending of the completed composite article for use where it is desired to have the inlay design not only 'fiat but in some cases bent into curvatures.

The nunerai 9 indicates a sheet of Wood veneer. which torpurposes of illustration we have shown thieker than actually used, the thiekness in practice usually being about .036 of an ineh. e usually 'subject such sheets tea bath orapplieation of a sottening medium, such as glvcerine and gelatin to make the veneer readiiy enter therecesses, particularly the ,small ones, that bordel' the tracery of the design torned in the metal base. y

The numeral 3 designates'such a design plate, the lower surface being fiat and the uppcr wrought or tashitmed into such design as 'ray be desired in which the tracery is eievated and the parts between the tracery depressed. The designs `are wrought on the metal base by any of the known methods such as hy engraviug, or etching or by die work. p

XV hen the sheet of celiuloid has been perforaten and then later partially dissolved hy thesolvent and-when he wood veneer has beentreated as above V ted, they then are placed together one. upon the other, the cel-` iuloid resting on the poi-'Liens of the design which stand in relief and the veneer resting on the celluloid. These lanna are then treated to heat and pressure, as by a press 'with a flat ;face and a fiat 'face platen, either or both being nadehollow for the reception of a heating medium such as stean. We usually enploy a pressure o' froni %300 pounds to 1,000 pounds per inch, according to the nature of the design and the cha 'acter of the Wood, nhether a hard or a soft Wood; and we 'usually enploy heat rangingf'on 212 F to 250 F. These Operations are for the purpose of pressing the hunin-ae into intinate relation so that the venee and the partially dissolved perforated celluloid sheet are pressedstrongly together, whereby they worlcdown into therecesses both large and small. It is here that the function ot' the perfo 'ations' in' the celluloid is realized 'and performed. I i In addition toexpulsion of air the hcat and pressure have the efi'eet ot' causing a sort of exudation of the solvent, either in liquid or vaporous 'orn. Ifthese enudations gather, as they have heretofore when imperforate sheets ot' celluloid have been 'used by us, in the smaller recesses between the etal base and the celluloid, they become locked as it were against escape and will result in ferning'pockets or unfiiled spaces as shown in -Figure 10 where theinperforate celluloid sheet is under treatment. But in the case' of the perforated celluloid sheet, as will be seen fitoni Figure 9, the exudations instead of 'gathering as in the other case down in the reeesses beneath the celluloid, pass through the perforations and into the veneer and are eliininatcd through the peres of the Wood. This perinits of the perfect and inti nate fitting of the celluloid and 'the veneer upon it down into the recesses and against the walls thereofwhether they be small or otherwise. y

Thus our invention results in amore perfeet, a more lasting and a more beneficial union of the threeelenients or lanine oi the composite article-metal base with a design in reliefl celluloid sheet in a vpartially dissolved state and Wood veneer, such cellulod being perforated.

And this union becomes so `effective and lasting that, as we found, changes in weather in humdity, in temperature and otherwise, and even the bending of the composite product have no efi'ect tendng to separate the laminze `or to allow or causethe celluloid to dislodge itself from the small recesses in the design. r W'e will now descrbe the successve steps of treatment of the materials shown at the left hand in the drawing; lVedo not mean to Convey the idea that the practice as represented bythe right hand Figures 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 was not gracticalor successful because that is not the fact, but we do wish to be understood that we have by the present invention naterially and highly improved the ultimate product as well as the facility of themanipulation'and 'union of the conponents or lamin& by reason of this change in the character and Condition of the cclluloid sheets as brought about by the perforations. The steps of this present method are:

Fabricating on a base plate a design in relief with depressions bordering the tracery ofthe design; perforating a 'sheet of cellu loid; partially dissolving the surfaces of said sheet by a suitable solvent; applying such sheet upon the face of the design; ap-

' il in a wood Veneer u on the erforated l y a P celluloid sheet; subjecting the now composite structure to pressure and heat; andn thereby utilizng the perforations in the celluloid sheet for the passage fromthe depressions of any air or exu'dations resulting from the solvent used on the sheet and caused to flow by the pressure and heat applied when these laminae have been superposed, whereby the exudations will be driven from the depressions through the perforations and eliminated through the pores of the Wood of the veneer, with the result that the celluloid in the Wood is made to fully fill the depressions in the design. i

The temperature employed during the op eration of pressing the parts together and` the degree of pressure applied are set forth above in this specification and need not be repeated here. e

Finally we call attention to a sample of the completed product, made according to the present invention, as shown in Figure 11. Observe the fine lines of the design and observe particularly the small spaces and depressions between the lines of traceryobserve how nany of "these small spaces there are in this design which is 't pcal of thousands of other designs in wichthe wood vcneer is being inlaid in accordance with this invention. v

`Thus it will be understood how important and valuable the improvement here described s in practice. And it will further be observed that the invention here set forth comprises both article and method of production, the element of novelty in the article being the partially dissolved perforated sheet and the consequent intimate and pernanent union and fitting of the celluloid and the Wood down in the recesses of the design, particularly the small recesses; and the novelty in the method resulting ;from the perforations in the celluloid being the intimate fitting and retention of the celluloid and Wood down in the smallest recesses. As ,a result of this,the expulsion of air and' solvents, (whether in a liquid or gaseous state) has been accomplished. The failure to do this heretofore has frequently prevented such ntimate contact and thus left pockets between metal and the celluloid and Wood above the metal. i

recesses adjoining the tracery of the design.`

2. In inlaid work, the combination with a plate fashioned with a design in relief leaving depressions about the tracery, ot' a sheet of celluloid perforated and partially dissolved on its surfaees and a weod veneer, the celluloid and the wood occupying said depressions, the cclluloid acting as a binder and constituting a lamina and its perforations acting to permit the passage from the depressions. through the celluloid and into and through the wood of any eXudat-ions, liquid or gaseous, whether air, liquid solvent or vapors 'ormed by the application of heat. '3. In inlaid work a' lamina consisting of a sheet of celluloid perforated with numerous holes, :t'or the purpose set forth.

l. In inlaid work, a lanina consist-ing of ta sheet of celluloid partially dissolved on' its surfaces and perforated with numerous holesr r 5. In nlaid. work, a lanina consisting of a sheet of celluloid partially dissolved on its surfaees and perforated with numerous holcs, the partial dissolution forning an adhesive andfthe perforations forming passages for any exudations of air, or lquids or gases resulting from the solvent used in pafrtially dissolving the. celluloid so that when said lainina isinipresscd into depressions in a design surface such exud'ations may be discharged from the depressions through the perforations to pernit the celluloid to seat intimately against the walls e of the depressions.

G. The heren described method oi' making nlad work, eonsstng in abrcatng a design in relief on a base plate, in perferating a sheet of celluloid; in partially dissolving the surfaces of said sheet; in applying the ,sheet over the design; and applying wood vencerupon the celluloid sheet; and

in sub'cctin thenow com iosite structure to pressure and heatto force the wood and cel luloid into the depressions of the design and* ing inlad Work, consstng in 'fabreating on :in ornamental phte a design in `'elef With dep'essions bordering the tracery of the design; in performing-u. sheet of cellulod; in pu'tally dissoh'ng the surface:: of said sheet by a suitable solveutg in applyng such sheet upon the face Ofthe desgnyn applying a Wood VBIIGGY`UPO11 the cellulod; in subject-ing the new conpeste structure to p'essu'e and heat; and in therehy utilzng the pe'fo'ations for the passage from the dep'essons of any exudutos et a' 01", of

liqud 01' vzvpo's result-ing from the solvent used en the sheet and caused te flow from the presente and heat, the exudatons passing into and't hroughthepo'es of the veneer and being elininated, Whe'eby the `celhled FREDERICK H. AULD. OTTO S. MARCIVORTH. 

